Reviews (22)

Great movie, great DVD!
"Well now, friends, just lend an ear / For you're now about to hear / The Ballad of Cat Ballou..." so begins the "Greek chorus" of Nat 'King' Cole and Stubby Kaye, banjos in hand. Having seen "There's Something About Mary" before "Cat Ballou," I didn't realize that the former was paying homage to the latter with this clever device. (Of course, being the original, "Cat Ballou" does it much better). By the way, the often-humorous score is by Frank DeVol.

The performances are good all around, each character with well-played and memorable funny bits. Jane Fonda plays it straight and serious next to the inept-ness of so-called outlaws Dwayne Hickman and Michael Callan and the over-the-top Lee Marvin (in a dual role as the Kid Sheleen, the drunken hero, and Tim Strawn, the bad guy with an artificial nosepiece). Marvin and the horse steal the show!

This movie is a lot of fun - pure entertainment - and the DVD people at Columbia/Tri-Star did a really good job putting together some extras. The audio commentary with Hickman and Callan itself is fun to listen to while watching the movie on repeat; it's very informative and even laugh-out-loud funny at times. The featurette with the director provides some good info on the movie, and the original trailer and vintage advertising (movie posters, etc.) is nostalgic.

The picture and sound quality is excellent; the visuals are clear and colorful, no noticeable scratches...the sound is very clear for being monaural. One side of the disc has the widescreen (definitive) version; the other side has the formatted version, which is also worth a look as it contains some extra information at the top and bottom of the screen on the scenes that were soft-matted.

I love this movie - it's nice to see that the DVD people took some interest enough to put together the special features on an almost 40-year-old film. Keep up the good work!

Worth seeing, if only for Lee Marvin's performance!
This 1965 spoof of westerns was a big hit back then. It's the story of Katherine Ballou, nicknamed "Cat" and played by Jane Fonda, who comes home to her small Wyoming town after studying to be a schoolmarm. However, because her father refuses to sell his land to the speculators, he is brutally murdered. She goes gunning for revenge. But this is a comedy and it's all very lighthearted, especially since there are constant musical narratives by Stubby Kaye and Nat King Cole. Lee Marvin won an academy award for his excellent portrayal of two aging outlaw gunmen and he's great. It's worth seeing, just to see his performance as he's a master not just of facial expressions, but also of total body language. Jane Fonda looks pretty as the sweet-young-thing turned outlaw. And there's enough love interest and comical episodes to keep the story moving. There's a train-robbing incident that is quite funny. And, of course, there's a happy ending.

I'm not much for comedies and so that fact that I was willing to spend the 96 minutes watching it all the way through says a lot for it. Recommended for light entertainment.

Steel-eyed Kid Shelleen
Saw this flick when it first came out: four performances were unforgettable --- marvellous Marvin, fascinating Fonda, melodious Cole and Kaye. Within its own light comedy framework this film is a masterpiece, regardless of what one or two reviewers think. This must be due to Elliot Silverstein's exceptionally deft direction. It is fast-paced and beautifully balanced. The characters cut across each other like oil and vinegar, hardly a scene is out of place. It has all the hallmarks of a masterpiece: timelessly entertaining, thought-provoking and even moving, both sad and funny, and can stand any number of repeat viewings. Silverstein's comments in the extra features are brief, to the point and invaluable. Fonda's acting (what a sweetie, what a dish!) is perfection in the part; Marvin's magical transformation from derelict to dead-eye via a throat-full of hooch is just as astounding every time you watch it. His arrival in Wolf City is one of the most dynamic entrances by a legendary gunman ever seen in movies. Anyone who hasn't already seen this evergreen comedy is in for a treat.

One of the Classics
This is truly one of the funniest (and funnest)western spoofs ever made. Lee Marvin is at his best, and Nat King Cole and Stubby Kaye will leave you singing "Cat Baloooooo" to yourself for weeks. As an editorial aside, reviewers who have rated this flick down based on Jane Fonda's appearance in it are asses. I didn't think much of John Wayne's politics, but I sure enjoyed his movies.

Another old favorite
Saw this film 7-8 times earlier in life, not just to look at Jane Fonda but because it's one of the funniest films I know. Lee Marvin, as 'the hero', is at his best! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Jules Verne's classic adventure is perfectly matched with Ray Harryhausen's timeless movie magic in Mysterious Island. Based on Verne's sequel to 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, this rousing Civil War-era fantasy begins when a band of Union war prisoners (and one Confederate straggler) escape in a hot-air balloon, which crash-lands on the titular island of mystery. Verne's novel doesn't include any gigantic creatures, but Harryhausen's version--under the capable direction of genre specialist Cy Endfield--features giant oysters, bees, a prehistoric Phororhacos (a giant chickenlike bird!), an undersea cephalopod, a giant crab, and enough danger to keep its resourceful ensemble on constant alert. Captain Nemo (Herbert Lom, ably filling James Mason's shoes) is a third-act hero, pursuing an ill-fated dream to save humanity from hunger and war. The action may be too intense for younger viewers, but Endfield's pacing and Harryhausen's stop-motion mastery make Mysterious Island a wondrous precursor to Harryhausen's follow-up classic, Jason and the Argonauts. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (22)

Exciting sci-fi
Mysterious Island is a very exciting movie that is even better because of the graphics done by Harry Hausen. Five Union prisoners and one Confederate soldier in a hot air balloon are caught up in a huge storm, blown off course and crash land on an unknown island full of plenty of secrets. The castaways meet two women whose ship was sunk forcing them to take cover on the island. All the survivors must deal with a huge crab, enormous bees, an oversized bird, and plenty of other surprises. The creatures made by Harry Hausen are very good and really ahead of his time. Without computer graphics, he was able to make excellent creatures that still look very good.

Michael Craig plays the heroic leader of the castaways and is pretty good in the role. The rest of the Union prisoners are also okay, but I didn't recognize any of them from other roles. The Confederate soldier I recognize from The Bridge on the River Kwai, but cannot remember his name. Herbert Lom appears late in the movie as Captain Nemo, the famous submarine commander who disappeared several years before the story takes place. The DVD is great with extras that show how Hausen created some of the creatures, a making of documentary, theatrical trailer and widescreen presentation. This is a very enjoyable movie that keeps you in your seat from beginning to end! Do not miss!

JULES VERNES' CLASSIC TALE....
Entertaining fantasy-adventure based on Jules Vernes' story about escapees from a Civil War prison who hijack a hot air observation balloon during a thunderstorm and get blown off course. They crash land on a strange island and discover it's inhabited by giant creatures. They are joined by two female survivors of a British ship wreck and forge together for survival. They battle a giant crab, a giant bird and a giant honeybee before they encounter the islands' oddest inhabitant---the infamous Capt.Nemo who has invented a submarine and learned to move about underwater with special equipment fashioned from giant sea shells. They are soon set upon by pirates whom Nemo dispatches when he sinks their ship. Nemo agrees to help them escape before a huge local volcano erupts. Great score by Bernard Herrmann and imaginatively filmed with a spirited cast. Only problem is the DVD transfer---it's not very good. Kind of a disappointment since this is a very colorful and stylish film. But since this is the best we can do for now I'll have to recommend it for lovers of escapist fare and Ray Harryhausen fans. The creatures are wonderful and the individual set pieces involving them are great. There's a marvelous underwater encounter with a giant tentacled shell creature near the end of the film that's mostly done in silence to great effect. The film is grand entertainment even if it's not the best quality DVD it should be.

No, it wasn't faithful to Verne...
However, what movie versions of literature usually are? Instead of criticizing the liberties taken, let's just look at the points of merit of the film: great special effects by way of the stop-motion master Ray Harryhausen, a stirring score by legendary Bernard Herrmann, superb scenery, a tale of survival, and lots of action.

Of course the acting is a little wooden but there are decent performances from Herbert Lom as "Captain Nemo", Joan Greenwood as "Lady Fairchild", and Gary Merrill (the former MR. Bette Davis) as "Mr. Spillet".

The real highlight for this viewer upon the film's release was the inclusion of a pivotal character portrayed by a black man, Dan Jackson as "Neb". The character is in the novel but he is younger and a bit too "subservient," reflecting the times of the book's publication. In 1961 it was notable to see a black man in a fantasy film, portraying an "equal" to his fellow castaways.

The DVD extras, including the documentary "The Harryhausen Chronicles", are adequate but the film holds its own as a wonderful excursion into the fanciful and makes for a fine family film.

Not a substitute for the novel
This movie has attempted to accomplish the same end as other classic films taken from the stories of Verne: to recreate an adventure movie of something much less action-oriented. Relying on the fame of this renowned author, Harryhausen has found a novel much less suspenseful and reenvisioned it as a wild tale of monsters and pirates. Verne described himself as primarily a geographer, taking the word in quite the broadest sense to indicate focus of interest in the geology of the earth, oceanography and seafaring, chemistry, and biological and applicable knowledge of Earth's flora and fauna. Like in many of his myriad books, Verne attempts in "The Mysterious Island" to impart his learning to the general populace through the medium of highly fictionalized romances - thus science fiction. His two skills - learnedness in the sciences and mastery of storytelling - intertwine with such alacrity as to preserve his legend as an author for all time.

"The Mysterious Island" itself is a novel Verne placed prime significance in. Within this three-part volume, Verne places five castaways on a deserted island without a single tool and describes how, in great detail, these men are able to recreate their own civilization from the raw materials of an amazingly diverse island. From simple tools, the men master pottery and metalworking, domestication of animals, machine manufacture, electric generators and devices, and eventually fuel-powered elevators, automobiles, and airplanes. Seen as both a vision of past and future technological advances, this book caused such a success that, when researchers investigated in 1961, it remained one of the most popular novels checked out in public libraries across America and Europe. In response to this popularity came a movie.

Cy Endfield, a specialist in epic adventure movie-making, directed this film in a way very unlike Verne's original plot and motives. It is likely Endfield did not even read the lengthy novel and its biographical relatives, or if he did chose a very different approach for a very different audience. Verne's novel does include the fantastic events of the protagonists' escape from Richmond, the attack on Granite House by pirates, and the volcanic eruption which destroys the island, but these events are but a fraction of his attention. In our movie, the audience is witness to pure action, and only the basic threads of plot and characterization of individuals are retained in the book's transformation to the screen. Furthermore, this film includes a very memorable character from Verne's novel "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea," the Captain Nemo. Apparently the author and character are inseparable, and to make a movie based on Verne is to borrow from any novel of one's choosing.

While this film does not preserve the intentions of the movie, several features must be stated to its benefit. Acting and plot development here are brisk and enjoyable, but most notable elements are witnessed in special effects. Thanks to the stop motion genius Harryhausen, "The Mysterious Island" is now home to giant crabs, bees, cephalopods, and Phororhacos. These creatures are explained as Captain Nemo's experiments in gigantism with which he hopes to feed the nations of the world. In a deeply humanitarian speech, Nemo professes hatred for the follies of war (quite unlike his literary nationalism) and paints a future of "big wheat, and sheep the size of cattle," where no nations suffer those economic dilemmas that inspire international aggressions. Contained on this DVD, additionally, is a fascinating hour-long documentary which should not be missed, chronicling the history of Ray Harryhausen and his art.

one heck of a movie
this is one of my favorite jules verne movie along with 20000 leagues...but my only complaint as with all columbia harryhausen movies on dvd is sound..my vhs tape is 4 times better sound than this dvd..i'm asking if ray reads any of these or someone from columbia dvd please do better a better job on sound...my dvd list on chapter and extras has better sound than the movie..it would mean so much to all fans if these were redone and done right with at least surround sound on all ray's movies on dvd. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Gary Cooper's forte--the searching, lone figure beleaguered by conflicts over conscience, truth, and ethics--followed him all the way to the ambitious They Came to Cordura, his third-to-last feature. Cooper plays Thomas Thorn, a career officer in America's fading horse Army of the early 20th century. Thorn's alleged cowardice in battle has been papered over by superiors: He is to identify acts of bravery during an attack on Pancho Villa's troops and lead those designated heroes to a Medal of Honor ceremony in Cordura, Texas. Though Thorn tries to extract the secret behind courage from each man, he discovers a battle-hardened, bestial side to them as well. The Cordura journey becomes fraught with mutiny and near-assaults on a Yankee expatriate (Rita Hayworth). Thorn, reputation aside, redefines courage on his own terms. This widescreen drama (the DVD offers full-screen format as well) is suspenseful, morally complex, and visually rich, but Cooper's performance carries the day. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (8)

A Butchered Masterpiece
THEY CAME TO CORDURA was originally 148 minutes. It was hailed by critics who saw this version, including the NY Times, which gave it a rave. But Columbia grew nervous, it was dark, grim, downbeat. The army looked like it was filled with cowards, rapists, murderers. Columbia took the film away from director Robert Rossen and lopped off 35 minutes, then added back in several minutes of exposition. The resulting film is maddening. At times brilliant, at times clumsy; it's pacing is awkward, the editing downright amateurish. The minions at Comubia hadn't a clue what they were doing whgen they butchered and re-editied the film. Even so, it is still a fine, fine film. The writing is spot-on, some of the dialogue scalding; the acting is flawless, and many of the sequences take your breath away. An extraordinary score. And Cooper is heart-breaking in his depiction of the coward. The scene between him and Rita Hayworth, in which he tells of cowering in the ditch, is screen acting of the highest order. Rossen was in the process of buying the film back from Columbia to return it to his original vision when he died. Perhaps it will yet happen. But not by Columbia, which has dropped this DVD onto the market with no extras and no attempt to restore it. Even so, CORDURA is well worth the purchase. Truly, a butchered masterpiece.

TOTALLY BORING MOVIE !
This movie is a failure in every way - I do not know what the
other reviewers are talking about...
This movie is about a bunch of people wandering around in the desert through the whole movie until the end.
Cooper is too old and one does not like him playing a coward.
Hayworth is the only good thing about it. She plays great
and looks great. This was her last A-movie for Columbia.
Afterwards her big career was over in 1959.

At What Price Courage
This 1959 film from director Robert Rossen sets out to define the meaning of courage. Set in 1916 Mexico during General Pershing's Expedition to capture Poncho Villa in revenge for his raid into New Mexico, the US Army sets out to find soldiers worthy of the Medal of Honor. Ironically, a branded coward Gary Cooper is given the task. This is a slow and deliberate movie. It is noteworthy not for its script but for its depth of well constructed characters and their motivations. By the end of the film you may ask yourself if cowards and heroes walk the same thin line. Van Heflin gives a standout performance and he is the real catalist behind Cooper's internal struggle that manifests itself visually on the screen.

The last great cavalry charge
This fictitous dramatisation based around the last cavalry campaign and the heroic exploits of some troopers at the almost last mounted pistol charge(the last mounted pistol charge was lead by Ed Ramsey in charge of G troop,26th Cavalry regiment(P.S)against Japanese during the defense of the Phillipines during WW2) shines on despite the rough as guts editing . The real charge at Ojos Azules was lead by Apache scouts serving alongside the 11th Cavalry regiment.The regiment in this movie is the 28th Cavalry(the real 28th didnt exist until 1943 and when it did it was a negro regiment).The charge is an action milestone,over 300 horses where used. Cooper plays an officer who has officialy been shamed for cowardice in the face of the enemy,he is given a"deskjob" for his cowardice and must escort a mixed group of citation winning heroes back to base at Cordura.This rag tag detachment are ambushed on route and are forced to surrender there horses,and it is after this that the real nature of the "heroes" becomes apparant. The real star of the movie is Van Heflin,he steals the show and runs rings around the other actors.The editing is abrupt and obtrusive at some moments(much of the film is reversed and to a uniform collector like myself it becomes very distracting)but the A-list cast peform beyond these shortcomings. This movie has more in common with Treasure of the Sierra Madre than it does with The Wild Bunch but somehow seems at home between the two. A great movie that could only be improved by a DVD release. Thanks for your time Golpeo Rapidamente

They Came to Cordura
This film is set in 1916 Mexico during General Pershing's Punitive Expedition to capture Poncho Villa. Gary Cooper plays Maj. Thomas Thorn, an Army officer accused of cowardice, sent to observe and deliver five men (Van Heflin, Tab Hunter, Richard Conte, Michael Callan and Dick York) for consideration to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor. Rita Hayworth is an American accused of giving aid and comfort to the enemy. The film is rather tedious as it ever so slowly tries to discern the meaning of courage. Its greatest assets are the beautiful color cinematography by Burnett Guffey and an underrated and powerful performance by Van Heflin. I have never seen Heflin better, as he remains a constant thorn in the side of Cooper. Heflin plays one of the crudest and potentially violent characters I have ever seen. He physically looks the part and plays it with incredibly subdued menace. The film was directed by Robert Rossen and co-written by Rossen and Ivan Moffat. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Julie Strain's venture with race cars,
Speedway is an excellent movie,,, featuring Julie Strain,, as a single woman whom once had a man in her life that held the record for the best race car driver; Julie plays the best heartfelt dramatic role I have seen her do to date. A must see for true Julie Strain fans,,, ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Fun adaptation of classic stage thriller!
Carol Lynley looks like she's having a ball in this fun, creepy version of the stage play about a bunch of would-be heirs stuck spending the night in a house of horrors. If your kids are planning a slumber party, or you're in the mood for Drive-In fare, this is an entertaining choice for your movie viewing!

Spend your money on a different Cat & The Canary version!!!
I bought this DVD in hopes it would be great but instead I find it to be just an average film. This story has been done different times and I can tell you that the absolute best version is the Bob Hope version (Cat and The Canary 1939). That film unfortunately isn't available. Another good version which is available is the silent one from around 1927 and it does a good job too. If I were you, I would try to locate those versions before ever getting this version. Don't get me wrong, this film isn't bad but it just doesn't stand up to the other 2 versions. The premise is as follows on this 1978 version: Glencliff Manor, 1934. A dark/stormy night. The family of a deceased millionaire has been summoned for the reading of his final will and testiment. An unexpected visitor arrives, the chief psychologist from the local mental hospital who is searching for a dangerous criminal escapee. Turn off the lights and you can enjoy this one but I am spoiled by the 2 far better versions so please if you can, see the 1939 Cat and The Canary with Bob Hope and or see the silent 1927 version. Those I promise will make you forget this one.

Oddly appealling
There is something about this film I find oddly appealing. The first half is a wonderful character study while the second half falls into third rate who done it. The quality of the DVD is not what I would normally expect, some scratches, etc. but I found myself watching it several times reliving the joy it gave me many years ago when I first discovered it. It is good entertainment. Favorite line, "except the moth".

At Last: A Superb and Fun Chiller For the Faint of Heart!!
The year is 1934. Precisely twenty years has passed since the timely death of Cyrus West. And now, since where there is a will, there's a way--It's time to celebrate!--One of our lucky guests (all of whom are related) will inherit a fortune via a reading from beyond the grave! This whimsical film is designed for an intelligent audience. Its characters are (with a few dastardly exceptions) highly likable people engaging in interesting conversations. Exclusively filmed in London, England, we soon find ourselves surrounded by a most fitting ambiance: Spooky house, too much floor space, constant downpour, a frequent roar of thunder, and the most wonderful indoor fire one could imagine! It's great--In fact perfect--For anyone who is a chicken at heart but wants desperately to enjoy a horror movie! You see, it seems the technical crew didn't quite want to really frighten us. Perhaps the intention was just to get us thinking a bit. For one thing, no one seems concerned about (what is certain to be) a shocking electric bill as the lighting is near brilliant at all times (obviously, the old and remarkable mansion wasn't refurbished with dimmer switches)! Dinner is served, the main course being "Bombay Chicken (with extra curry)". "I think this chicken died in 1914," announces one uninhibited soul. Next come the creeping shadows ("only the shadow knows"), secret passageways, escape hatches, screams in the night, a character who disappears in the middle of conversation, an old clock that starts to chime but never finishes, and yes, even a beautiful black cat. Enter (speaking of beauty) actress Olivia Hussey ("Cicily Young") who proves she is equally splendid with make-up as she is without (for suitable comparison, please see her in the notorious "Black Christmas" which is most definitely NOT for the faint of heart). Olivia does it a lot with her eyes not to mention a very appropriate and low cut red dress. At one point, left in the bedroom by herself a bit too long, "Cicily" remarks (upon her roommates' eventual return), "Where have you been?"; Roommate: "Not far."; Cicily: "Being alone in this place gives me the double creeps." Also joining the party are a host of charming characters who are dressed quite stiffly in formal attire consistent with the time period. There's "Harry", a naturally likable chap; The wrinkly "Mrs. Pleasant"; Mrs. Crosby (full of stately mannerisms); The lovely "Annabelle" (wrinkle free); "Susan", outspoken, and in need of a large mole being removed from the left side of her face); And "Paul", a fine gentleman but also Annabelle's "kissin' cousin". There's also a surprise guest from "down the way" who comes barging on the scene to announce (in Paul Revere fashion), "There's an escaped homicidal maniac on the loose who has escaped from a home for the criminally insane!" . . . "We're just up the road," he adds. Furthermore, he always tries to get in A HOUSE whenever he escapes! Then he likes to hide! "I'm asking everyone in the area to lock themselves in until morning," adds this bearer of "good tidings". This provokes quite a reaction among the genetically predispositioned (mental illness happens to run in the family) ("Remember: Cream first, and coffee later"). A couple of gems: "I don't know why I should be glum"; "Well, I wasn't mad when I came here, but I certainly will be soon!" Get a grip! The relatives can all take comfort in knowing that Mr. West knows something they don't! None of us thought it would turn into this type of evening, but not to worry: All of the jolts are left in Dr. Frankenstein's laboratory. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Is cutting off picture information "Family friendly"?
Oh, Disney! Disney! Why do you stab me in the heart so often?
This company seems to think that avoiding black little bars at the top and bottom of 4:3 television screens makes families happy and content. Why not consider us grownups instead, who are very saddened indeed to watch movies like this with the sides cut off?
Besides, what child or teenager today would tolerate viewing this movie anyhow, cropped or in letterbox format? This is definitely a film for people BORN in the fifties and sixties. Yes, it's overlong! Yes, it's corny a lot of the time! Yes, it's often dull and even boring! And yes, I still enjoy it for all its faults! But I would be ten times happier if Disney had given me this film on DVD in the correct aspect ratio of 1.78:1 - with anamorphic enhancement, of course! WHEN WILL THEY LEARN?

DVD vs VHS
I have been familiar with this film since I worked for Disney in 16mm film distribution in the 1970s. I started at Disney after just coming back from Europe, so the French settings were nice to revisit.

I am very familiar with the various negatives of this film. I agree with several reviewers that a DVD should contain the best possible picture and sound element. It should also present the film in its original, projected aspect ratio, which for BON VOYAGE was 1:85.1 (Academy 'flat') which gives the film a slight, rectangular image. However, full frame, 4 by 3 transfers of 1:85x1 pictures are not necessarily all that bad. You loose a little picture on the sides, but not really that much. Some work could have been done on color correcting, although the DVD's 'look' exactly matches the projected film.

I also agree that a few 'extras' would have been nice, even just the theatrical trailer. Walt Disney filmed 'everything' to do with his studio's product, so there must be a good amount of 'extras' for BON VOYAGE in the Disney film vaults. Why aren't they included?

Anyway, it's still nice to have this some-what overlong film back on the market. I grabbed a copy at BestBuy as soon as I spotted it. I have always felt that it was about 20 minutes too long, and that it incorporated two scenes (Fred McMurray and the French prostitute in Paris, and the attempted extortion of son Elliot on the Riviera) that should not have been in the script. The film might have done better with its intended audience. Tommy Kirk's performance as Elliot, however, is a treasure; he was a very polished actor, and gave wonderful comic relief it wasn't 'mugging' but was built solely out of his character.

Look for one mistake the original director made, and it's in the original negative, although it shouldn't have been included. When McMurray punches the Casanova in the casino at the film's end, immediately go frame by frame for a few seconds and you can see the sound stage floor, complete with ladders for the cameras, and even some of the crew in the background.

Some of the scenes bettween McMurray and James Callan (father to young suitor) still resonate even in today's society. And McMurray lost in the Paris sewers is still very funny.

THey ruined BOn VOyage!
I would like to quote a previous reviewer

"No wonder the company is about to be taken over and broken up -- DVD was introduced to be an alternative to video, to offer more than video: better picture, more extras, and most importantly, more picture. Letterboxing. Widescreen. The complete image. So what does Disney do? They take some of their most beloved live-action films such as this one, and dump it on DVD in full-frame editions. What is the point of that? Who isn't used to widescreen DVDs yet? Why should I waste my money replacing my old Disney videos with the same crappy full screen image as before? Disney just doesn't get it, and their sales show it. Quote From Viewer From New York"

I just watched it for the first time I bought it when it came out but didn't watch until today. In fact I am watching the DVD as I right htis review. I agree with you completely. The best part about it were the menus.

DISNEY DOESN'T GET IT!!!!!!
No wonder the company is about to be taken over and broken up -- DVD was introduced to be an alternative to video, to offer more than video: better picture, more extras, and most importantly, more picture. Letterboxing. Widescreen. The complete image. So what does Disney do? They take some of their most beloved live-action films such as this one, and dump it on DVD in full-frame editions. What is the point of that? Who isn't used to widescreen DVDs yet? Why should I waste my money replacing my old Disney videos with the same crappy full screen image as before? Disney just doesn't get it, and their sales show it.

BON VOYAGE!
I just ordered my dVD today from amazon.com

I have a VHS of it that I bought when it came out in 1986 but I was so anxious for this dVD to come out.

I wish that there were going to be special features on it but I bought it anyways.

Harry Willard(Fred MacMurray) and his wife Katie (Jane Wyman) go on a sea voyage to beautiful France with their 3 children. Amy (Deborah Walley) Elliot (Tommy Kirk) and Skipper(Kevin Corcoran). Amy is dead happy about the trip, Elliot couldn't care less, and Skipper is just happy anyplace. This movie starts out @ the Shipping Office in New York City. Where Amy runs into Playboy Nicholas O'Marra (Michael Callan) well they set sail on the classic ship S.S. Pacific ? I can't remember the exact name. And they have a lot of adventures on the boat. WHen they get to Paris they first go to the Eifel Tower. But Amy runs into Nick and that fumes Harry because He can't stand Nick. Well the movie rolls along and it has a lot of funny scenes. Like when Harry gets lost in the Sewer System of Paris. And when Harry meets the Lady with the mustache (ooh what a disgusting occurance). This movie ends when Harry punches the evil Rudolph for making advances to his wife in a Casino in the French Riviera. Watch for the grand theme song. Which is my favorite part of the movie.

I have been waiting for years for this movie to come out on DVD. ... Read more

Reviews (28)

A True TriMark
TriMark Home Entertainment makes some of the worst movies ever. If you know of a movie that you think was really bad it was most likely made by TriMark. The Leprechaun series are pretty much the best movies TriMark has ever made. My other friends that have watched this movie and the rest of the series agree that Leprechaun 3 is the best(not saying it's good or anything). A storekeeper buys a statue of the leprechaun. The person he purchased the statue from warned him to never touch the medallion that hung around the leprechaun's neck. Of course the storekeeper takes the medallion and examines it only to find the statue gone when he goes to return the necklace. You guessed it! By taking the medallion the leprechaun was able to come to life and escape, but on his way out the leprechaun drops his gold coin. Before the leprechaun notices it's gone an underaged college student goes to sell his Rolex in order to get money to gamble with. Something on the computer in the store was talking about how you can have one wish when finding a leprechaun's gold coin. Obviously the guy finds the coin and wishes that he would get his money back that he had lost playing craps and be able to play with it again without loosing anything. The movie is then hard to follow and has some really stupid unnecessary scenes. I'd buy the movie anyways... I have it.

cool
this movie tells a lot about las vegas if you can look closely enough to see.he sure is ugly though.no stars here.its a touch on the violent side but isnt really scary at all.it is meant as a horror film but is hardly that at all.as with most horror films,it is low budget.the very fact that hes in las vegas seperates it from the other leprachaun films.it is easily the best of the set i think.there is no nudity either.most people will just think its stupid.i liked it though.

IT'S ALRIGHT, BUT IT'S STARTING TO GO A LITTLE BIT TOO FAR
THIS TIME, THE LEPRECHAUN RETURNS TO WREAK HAVOC IN LAS VEGAS. PRETTY MUCH AN AVERAGE HORROR SEQUEL. HAS SOME THRILLING MURDERS, BUT IT LACKS THE COOLNESS OF THE FIRST SEQUEL. I GUESS THIS ONE'S OK. BUT, THE NEXT MOVIE WOULDN'T TURN OUT SO GOOD.

He Keeps Going, and Going, and Going...
The first entry in the "Leprechaun" franchise arrived on the scene in 1993, with the second appearing as if by magic the following year. Why not keep the trend going and release "Leprechaun 3" in 1995? That is exactly what the movers and shakers behind the "Leprechaun" series did, probably thinking that striking a rapidly cooling griddle is better than striking one when it is ice cold. Once again calling on diminutive star Warwick Davis to play the wicked elf, the individuals responsible for "Leprechaun 3" decided to move the setting to Las Vegas where the lure of bright lights and the thrill of gambling could provide a suitable backdrop for the machinations of the leprechaun. Does this move work? Sort of, even though "Leprechaun 3" suffers from numerous problems that only get worse from this point on: atrocious acting, increasingly lame sight gags and jokes, cheaper budgets, annoying characters, and a failure to follow rules established in earlier films. Despite these glaring failings, "Leprechaun 3" is really the last film I am able to say I enjoyed in the franchise. Parts four and five simply collapse under the weight of the aforementioned problems.

In "Leprechaun 3" the little beastie appears in Las Vegas when a haggard looking fella stumbles into a pawnshop lugging a big bundle. It turns out that this package is our old friend the leprechaun, frozen into a little statue due to some jeweled necklace. The guy sells the statue to the pawnshop owner for chump change and as quick as you can say "Begorrah," the greedy employee removes the necklace and unleashes the malevolent force that is Warwick Davis decked out in knickers and pepperoni faced makeup. The pot of gold appears as well, and since we all know by this time that the slimy sprite cannot stand to see humans pawing his precious coins, the pawnshop guy promptly incurs the wrath of the little devil. It is also during these opening sequences that we learn the rules of the game have changed once again: now the leprechaun cannot stand the presence of other leprechauns and his gold coins suddenly have the power to grant their possessor one wish. Obviously, this knowledge sets up the idea that another leprechaun will challenge Warwick Davis and that several people will find one of the coins and make wishes.

Enter Scott McCoy, an impressionable kid driving to Southern California so he can start school in a few weeks. He quickly meets local cutie Tammy Larsen, a young lady who works for a hack magician at the Shamrock, one of the cheaper looking casinos on the strip. Tammy agrees to sneak Scott into the casino so he can see what Las Vegas is all about, and it isn't too long before the inevitable happens. Scott gambles away the twenty thousand dollars his parents gave him for school and goes to the pawnshop where the leprechaun went on a bloody rampage. McCoy finds a coin, figures out how to make a wish, and wins big time at the tables. In the meantime, we follow Tammy's adventures with her unctuous boss Fazio and the lecherous owner of the casino named Mitch. Mitch owes some money to a couple of local goons (can't have a movie set in Las Vegas without a mafia reference, huh?), but really has an eye for Tammy's expansive cleavage. Rounding out the cast is casino employee Loretta, a big haired, screechy lady who spends way too much time lamenting the loss of her youthful figure. I won't spoil the unfolding hijinks for you, but most of the characters learn about the magic coin and make their greedy little wishes with often tragic, and gory, results. During the course of the movie, we see somebody swell up and explode, a body sawed in half, and a cheesy electrocution. It's all done in good fun and is occasionally entertaining.

I definitely appreciated a gorier, sleazier "Leprechaun" movie. What I didn't welcome was the acting, which certainly ranks as some of the poorest in the series (although not as bad as the Bridget character in the second film). The guy who plays Scott and the woman in the Tammy role are the worst offenders. Every time these two appeared on screen I could literally smell the sour odor of their performances wafting off of my television set. These two are so bad that even my DVD player belched derision over their ham handed antics. Fortunately, the other actors do slightly better, and Warwick Davis is great as always as the leprechaun. In fact, my favorite scene in the movie occurs when Davis is strolling down the streets of Las Vegas looking for his stolen coin. Here's this evil, ugly looking monster moving in and out of crowds of people and no one notices him! Moreover, he occasionally cackles loudly for no apparent reason during his jaunt. I laughed so hard over this scene that I watched it several more times just to get the full effect of the whole thing.

The DVD is the same as other Trimark "Leprechaun" discs. The picture transfer looks good and there are several trailers for this film and other installments in the series. After viewing all of the "Leprechaun" movies, I would like to see a commentary from Warwick Davis on at least one of these DVDs. I would like to hear what the man himself has to say about these films. Anyway, "Leprechaun 3" is worth watching if you have a couple of hours to spare and can't think of anything better to do. If nothing else, this movie is the only place you will ever see a flaming dwarf flying though the air, and that ought to be worth something.

bleehhhhhhh
god people, when will the horror end. now the bastards in Vegas making more murders because of his gold, thats the whole story of all the movies. his frickin gold. with mindnumbing supportees and bad directing. this is a toiletbowl mess.

favorite line in the whole movie
Leprechaun- there was an old man from O'Grass, his balls were made of brass and in stormy weather his balls clanked together and sparks flew out of his ass(this was hilarious) ... Read more

Amazon.com

Carol Lynley stars as the guileless young woman who becomes the sole heir to eccentric millionaire Wilfrid Hyde-White's fortune in this remake of the Paul Leni silent-film classic. But there's a catch: all the surviving relatives must spend the night in the old mansion. If she dies or is judged insane within the next 12 hours a new heir will be named, and, as if a house full of greedy relatives isn't enough, a homicidal maniac is on the loose, or so informs asylum director Edward Fox, making a dramatic swashbuckling entrance crashing through the library window like a British Zorro. Radley Metzger, best known for his elegant erotic dramas and racy romantic comedies, steps out of the genre that made his name since his debut film Dark Odyssey. With tongue firmly in cheek he refigures the old, dark house farce as a British comedy of manners, nicely capturing the clipped delivery and witty repartee of the drawing-room comedy at the expense of the thrills and chills that make Leni's original so memorable. It's a stylishly handsome and often clever film (the reading of the will, with brash Hyde-White hosting from beyond the grave through the magic of home movies, is an inspired highlight), but it never achieves any tension or terror. Honor Blackman, Wendy Hiller, Daniel Massey, and Olivia Hussey costar. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Well, maybe not four stars exactly but...
I have fond memories of this movie. When I was younger I had a thing, and still do, for thrillers or horror films that are driven (no pun intended) by cars. While killer car films were my favorite, I often enjoyed the occasional thriller that only had a single link to automobiles. My mother brought a VHS copy of Freeway home for me back when it was still in print and I remember watching it a few times and liking it though I considered it a more "adult" movie since it paid more attention to plot and character than vehicular mayhem. Years later, I lost the video yet still remembered the movie. Why Anchor Bay released this I really cannot say. You can ask most of your friends and family and I feel confident to say most of them will never have seen it. A quick check of the Internet Movie Database tells that the film did not do well at the box office. This is a movie that has wandered around in the shadows of late night cable for over ten years making the occasional impression on someone who never forgot it. The movie, I suppose, was a failure to it's creators. But it's a strange little gem. A weird vision of late-night killings on the freeways in LA in the 1980's (where I have heard freeway killings were very frequent). I don't know who spoke up for this movie and got in on DVD in widescreen but I bought it as soon as I saw it, walking wide-eyed to the checkout counter and leaving the cashier wondering how I could be so excited about some cheap DVD with a generic looking cover. It's no masterpiece of suspense but it is certainly a tight little thriller that has gone overlooked and, despite it's DVD release, probably always will. Pick it up. ... Read more